Probate Court On-Line Help
Getting Started
- Anyone can e-File if they are a registered user of the e-Filing System. If you are an attorney licensed by the State of Ohio you can request an account as an attorney.
- If you are not a licensed attorney you can still get an account but you will be registered as someone that represents themselves. This is known as a Pro Se filer.
- Pro Hac Vice, an attorney who is not licensed in Ohio, must first comply with the Supreme Court of Ohio's Pro Hac Vice registration requirements. Click here for more information: http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/AttySvcs/PHV/default.asp . Once a Pro Hac Vice attorney has received their assigned PHV number from the Supreme Court of Ohio, they may request an account to e-File. They will be required to provide the assigned PHV number at registration.
Does it cost to e-File?
- Franklin County is not charging to register with the e-Filing System. However, when filings are submitted through the e-Filing system, standard Court fees are still applicable. Any costs incurred must be paid with a credit/debit card. The credit/debit card 3rd party vendor will charge a flat rate for each transaction ot less than $1.00 and no greater than 3% of the total.
- Go to the e-Filing website homepage and look for the link to 'Request Account'. This will take you through a series of screens that will ask questions. The first screen will ask you to review the User Agreement established by the County. To continue you must select the radio button that you agree to the terms then press the 'Submit' button.
- After you have read and agreed to the terms of the User Agreement, the next screens will display several questions. An asterisk (*) next to a field indicates that the information for that field is required. An Ohio licensed attorney is required to enter the Bar Number. An attorney appearing Pro Hac Vice is required to enter their Ohio PHV registration number. You choose your own Username and Password. If the Username is not unique you will be prompted to select a different Username when you submit your request.
- User Roles:
- Attorney
- Pro Hac Vice
- Pro Se
- Select a Company screen -
- Existing - in the dropdown, SELECT firm by clicking on it
- New - ENTER name of your law firm or if not affiliated with a company ENTER your name in the input box
- Click 'Submit'
- Personal Profile - Request a User Account screen
- ENTER Username, Password, Password Confirm
- First Name, Last Name, if registering as an attorney enter your Bar Number or Pro Hac Vice Number
- Select Your Address or Company Address
- Insert Company Address if not filled in, or
- Insert Your Address if selected
- When the User Account Requested screen is displayed, check that the information displayed is correct and click on the 'OK' button. As soon as the administrator approves your account you will receive an e-Mail message.
How do I get training?
- Many attorneys find that the system is not unlike other systems. However, if you need assistance your options are:
- CLE training with the Columbus Bar
- On-Line Help documentation
- e-Filing Help:
What can I e-File?
- During Phase I you can initiate Civil Action cases through the e-Filing system as-well-as submit follow-up filings to existing/pending Civil Action cases. Phase II will add Adoption case types and Phase III will add Mental Commitment case types. When you are not sure if you can e-File on a particular case when you select 'File to Existing Case' you will type the case number and the last name of the case and press 'submit'. The e-Filing system will query the case management system to see if you can file on this case and if you cannot it will return an error.
- The e-Filing system is browser based. You do not need to install any special software. You do need a computer that is connected to the web and has a brower installed. You can use Firefox from Mozilla, Internet Explorer from Microsoft, or any other browser that has been released in the last three years. Some might use the Macintosh or Linux operating system. You need to submit your documents in either PDF or Word (.doc, .docx) format. Proposed Entries/Orders and Motions must be submitted separately and must be in editable PDF format or in Word format (*.doc,*.docx). Special editable PDF forms for e-Filing are provided through the Court's website: http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/probate/forms/eForms/
We recommend that you use a high speed internet
connection. The system will work using a dial-up modem, but the challenge is
when you need to up-load or down-load large documents to the Court. A dial-up
modem is more likely to time-out or disconnect. You
will most likely be frustrated on how slow the system will respond.
Note: Uploading documents will be slow. Most internet
connections have faster download speeds than upload speeds. That is because most people on the web are downloading information
rather than uploading information. The upload speed can be 3 to 5 times slower than the download speed. If you are interested in
checking your bandwidth speed you can do so at one of these links. These links are not supported by the Court and are for your convenience only.
